UN expected to vote on plan to open Strait of Hormuz

2026-04-03 18:36:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on April 4 on a revised resolution aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as world powers remain divided on how far to go to confront Iran's blockade of the vital waterway.

The latest draft, submitted by Bahrain, is said to have been watered down slightly after objections from veto-wielding members – China, Russia and France – who objected to the initial wording that authorized countries to use “all necessary means” to secure the waterway. This led to the postponement of the vote, originally scheduled for April 3.

The Associated Press reported that a revised version of the text now only allows for "protective measures" to ensure safe passage through the strait and surrounding waters, marking a compromise aimed at avoiding a veto while still allowing for some form of coordinated response.

The vote comes at a crucial moment in the war that began with joint attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February, while Iran's effective closure of the strait has shaken global energy markets and fueled fears about the consequences of a supply blockade.

China has publicly stated its opposition to any resolution that could legitimize the use of force. Beijing's UN ambassador, Fu Cong, stated that "any such authorization would inevitably lead to further escalation and serious consequences," calling on members to prioritize a political solution.

“From Beijing’s perspective, accepting a military response to the closure of the strait would legitimize the use of force, preemptive strikes, and unilateral security enforcement,” Jonathan Fulton, an expert on China in the Middle East at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, wrote in his newsletter on China’s role in the region. “China does not have the hard power to prevent this scenario, but it does have veto power in the UN Security Council and is unlikely to relinquish the value of that power.”

Russia has taken a similar stance, arguing that the focus should be on ending hostilities, not expanding maritime security mandates. Before Bahrain released its final revised draft, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said the proposal “does not solve the problem.”

France has signaled that it may be open to new wording in the resolution, stressing that there is a need for safeguards.

The outcome of the April 4 vote remains uncertain, with diplomats closely watching whether the changes are enough to secure support – or at least abstention – from the Council's most powerful members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, which have veto power.

Iran has largely blocked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, targeting ships and tightening control over one of the world's most important energy hubs, as about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies pass through the strait.

Tehran has also presented its own proposal for managing the strait, stating that it is working with neighboring Oman on a system that would require ships to obtain special permits and licenses to pass through the waterway.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, opposed this concept, writing on social media that "international law does not recognize 'pay for passage' schemes."

She also held a telephone conversation on April 2 with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi regarding the war in Iran and its impact on the global economy.

"Iranian attacks on civilian ships and the threat to others have brought traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to an almost complete halt," Kallas said on social media.

Since the war began, only a very limited number of ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz. These are mostly ships bound for countries that Iran considers friendly, and a system is being created where Tehran pre-approves passage along a route that passes close to its coast. For example, Pakistan has reached an agreement for 20 ships to pass under its flag, while other Asian countries have also provided safe passage.

A container ship signaling it was French-owned also exited the Strait of Hormuz on April 3, in what appears to be the first passage by a ship bound for Western Europe since the start of the war.

US President Donald Trump has signaled that Washington will not take the lead in reopening this waterway, calling on countries that depend most on Gulf energy supplies to act on their own.

Gulf states, many of which host US forces and have been subject to Iranian attacks, have so far avoided direct retaliation, fearing escalation into a wider regional war. /REL